Friday, February 17, 2023

Review: Sleep No More by Jayne Ann Krentz

Sleep No More by Jayne Ann Krentz
Series: The Lost Night Files, Book 1
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Paranormal Romantic Suspense 
Sleep No More cover
ISBN: ‎ 9780593337820
Source: Publisher
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Audible

Seven months ago, Pallas Llewellyn, Talia March, and Amelia Rivers were strangers, until their fateful stay at the Lucent Springs Hotel. An earthquake and a fire partially destroyed the hotel, but the women have no memory of their time there. Now close friends, the three women co-host a podcast called the Lost Night Files, where they investigate cold cases and hope to connect with others who may have had a similar experience to theirs—an experience that has somehow enhanced the psychic abilities already present in each woman.

After receiving a tip for their podcast, Pallas travels to the small college town of Carnelian, California, to explore an abandoned asylum. Shaken by the dark energy she feels in the building, she is rushing out when she’s stopped by a dark figure—who turns out to be the women's mysterious tipster.

Ambrose Drake is certain he’s a witness to a murder, but without a body, everyone thinks he’s having delusions caused by extreme sleep deprivation. But Ambrose is positive something terrible happened at the Carnelian Sleep Institute the night he was there. Unable to find proof on his own, he approaches Pallas for help, only for her to realize that Ambrose, too, has a lost night that he can’t remember—one that may be connected to Pallas. Pallas and Ambrose conduct their investigation using the podcast as a cover, and while the townsfolk are eager to share what they know, it turns out there are others who are not so happy about their questions—and someone is willing to kill to keep the truth from coming out.

A podcaster and a writer, both with heightened paranormal abilities, are on a quest for answers in Sleep No More. Jayne Ann Krentz kicks off her Lost Night Files series with multiple interconnected mysteries that will draw you in as you follow the heroes’ search for the truth.

Ambrose Drake is nearing his breaking point. After a stay at the Carnelian Sleep Institute something happened to him, heightening his paranormal powers to the point where he can’t trust himself to sleep and not be lost to a dreamworld or sleepwalk off a cliff. He’s also sure he witnessed the aftermath of a murder during that lost night. He goes to one of the hosts of The Lost Night Files podcast on his search for answers. Pallas Llewellyn knows all about missing memories and powerful psychic abilities. She and her two friends experienced a missing night of their own that also increased their paranormal skills. Now they investigate cold cases and the one Ambrose presents intrigues her. As the two of them dig deeper into their search, there are people in Carnelian who would do anything to stop them. Danger abounds but Pallas and Ambrose make a good team. They’re not frightened of each other’s abilities – indeed, they balance one another really well. I liked how they worked as a team and how that lead to them forming a romantic relationship.

Sleep No More is more heavy on the suspense and paranormal than it is on the romance, but it still worked because Ambrose and Pallas made such a good pair. The story was solidly entertaining but if you’re familiar with Krentz’s work it will follow a pattern that didn’t make it as exciting as it could be. The formula is one I’m well familiar with so I wanted a bit more of something new, but overall I liked the story. I enjoyed watching Pallas and Ambrose put the pieces of an ever-expanding puzzle together and I’m definitely going to want to learn what happens in future Lost Night Files books.



FTC Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

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